Friday, April 7, 2006

MANY RECOGNIZED FOR DEDICATION, EXCELLENCE

AT NATIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETE DAY APRIL 3

Senior David Pavia headlines 16 NSAD award recipients

By David Nicholson

Sports Information Office

Student-athletes have the privilege of representing their school every time they step on the playing field. National Student-Athlete Day (NSAD) has been celebrated annually since 1987 to honor student-athletes that have achieved excellence in academics and athletics.

This year, Eastern Connecticut State University recognized the annual celebration on Monday, April 3, with a two-hour program at the Johnson Community Room in the J. Eugene Smith Library.

All of the recipients of NSAD award-winners were chosen by their peers on their particular team based upon their current grade-point average,  as well as their involvement in extracurricular activities, community involvement and athletic accomplishments. The winners were presented their awards by a teammate. All NSAD candidates were required to have GPAs above 3.00, while candidates for the Shining Star Award, which represents the student-athlete for the entire school, must have a GPA well above  3.00. The NSAD community also presented the Distinguished Faculty/Staff  Award to an individual  for support of the athletic program.

This year’s  Shining Star Award recipient was senior David Pavia of Stamford, a four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track and field programs as an accomplished sprinter and jumper. An all-conference competitor, Pavia helped lead the program to its second Little East Conference and first New England Alliance  championships this winter. Pavia is a Sport and Leisure Management major pursuing a career in the field of strength and conditioning. He is two-time recipient of an ECSU/E-Club Scholar-Athlete Award with a 3.50 GPA and also works as student athletic trainer.

Dr. Michael Pernal, Interim President of the University, received this year’s Distinguished Faculty/Staff Award. Dr. Pernal was chosen for his involvement, support, and appreciation of the Eastern athletic program.

Tammy Schondelmayer, a 1989 Eastern graduate and current Director of Athletics at Bloomfield High School, served as keynote speaker. Schondelmayer was a four-year member of the softball program as an undergraduate, member of four regional championship teams, one national titlist and one second-place finisher. Schondelmayer urged the student-athletes to persevere, sacrifice for a common goal and stressed the importance of teamwork and learning self-confidence. “I learned that life is about competition,” noted Schondelmayer, “ and that winning wasn’t everything. I learned how to play with passion and with heart. The trophies aren’t important. The people that I met in pursuit of those trophies and my experiences while trying to reach my goals is what I remember.”

The NSAD committee of 14 students and one member of the coaching staff, was chaired by senior baseball player Greg Sullivan, who also presented Dr. Pernal with the faculty/staff award. A slide show which featured each of Eastern’s athletic programs and shown during the evening, was created and produced by freshman field hockey player Jaime Seligmann.

2005 / 06 NSAD AWARD-WINNERS

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